Elmwood Park Man, 81, Killed During Burglary, Grandson Charged With Murder

UPDATE: Elmwood Park detectives signed murder and weapons charges against the grandson of a prominent borough resident who authorities said was killed when he interrupted a burglary.

Jason Vicari is led from the home following the killing of his grandfather, Ronald Vicari, 81.
Photo Credit: *Boyd A. Loving for DAILY VOICE*

The scene at 24 Beechwood Avenue, Elmwood Park
Photo Credit: *Boyd A. Loving for DAILY VOICE*

Elmwood Park and Fair Lawn police, Bergen County Regional SWAT Team members and Bergen County sheriff's officers converged on the scene.
Photo Credit: *Boyd A. Loving for DAILY VOICE*

Bergen County Regional SWAT team members
Photo Credit: *Boyd A. Loving for DAILY VOICE*

Jason Vicari
Photo Credit: *BERGEN COUNTY SHERIFF*

Jerry DeMarco

10/19/2021 12:10 p.m.

Jason Vicari, 21, of Wyckoff remained held in the Bergen County Jail following Tuesday's killing of 81-year-old Ronald Vicari.

The younger Vicari was taken into custody following a brief SWAT standoff at the older man's Beechwood Avenue home. He awaits a first appearance in Central Judicial Processing Court in Hackensack on the charges filed by Elmwood Park police.

Additional charges were expected -- among them, burglary and felony murder.

A family member had called police at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday after finding the elder Vicari mortally wounded and his grandson still there, authorities told Daily Voice.

Jason Vicari apparently had broken in, they said.

Responding officers summoned the Bergen County Regional SWAT team, along with the county Regional Crisis Negotiation Team, after Vicari refused to come out, they said.

Vicari emerged without further incident at 10:20 a.m. after speaking briefly with a negotiator and was taken in handcuffs to an ambulance.

Ronald Vicari was known in town, having served on the borough Planning Board and Zoning Board of Adjustment.

Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella said detectives from his office and Elmwood Park police were investigating, assisted by the Bergen County Medical Examiner's Office and the Bergen County Sheriff's Bureau of Criminal Identification, which collected evidence.

NOTE: Tuesday's incident was the third SWAT call in three days in Bergen County that ended without further incident.

An ex-con smashed his way into his Oakland girlfriend's home with a sledgehammer, then beat her and held her captive at knifepoint -- at one point cutting her hair -- before he was captured following an hours-long SWAT standoff on Sunday, authorities said. READ MORE....

The same day, a troubled River Edge man remained barricaded for several hours before finally surrendering peacefully Sunday during what became the second call of the day for the Bergen County Regional SWAT team. READ MORE....

ALL PHOTOS: Boyd A. Loving for DAILY VOICE

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